Tag - Solomon River

Driving through the hills on Highway 283 on a perfect July morning, air conditioner blasting away the early heat, sunglasses perched on my nose, it was impossible not to be taken in by the rare beauty of the Smoky River Valley. While somehow managing to be inviting and foreboding at the same time, the landscape made me feel small, not unlike the feeling of standing beside the ocean or a busy sidewalk in New York. On this day, my husband, kids and I headed toward the unincorporated town of Nicodemus, Kansas, to attend the 134th annual Homecoming and Emancipation Celebration.